Recent Events

Look out everyone.  This is a doosy!  By the way, thanks for everyone who has become a follower of Identifying Sarah and/or page visits.  I wrote this blog and then went back through to do edits and make sure that I haven't forgotten anything.  I will definitely say I have a feeling this will be a very therapeutic process for me. 

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In my quest to become a blogger, I've thought about things to write about.  Yesterday I thought "recent events" because there has been a lot going on in my life.  Nothing of real significance.  Just things that needed to be done or I'm making a conscious effort to do for myself.

Cooking

I've never been much of a cook.  I always tell people I'm a baker.  I like the precision of baking.  You follow the recipe exactly and you get exactly what you want.  Well, it is exactly what you want as long as you have used the recipe before.  I've definitely tried a few recipes that needed some revisions.  I digress...  I am trying to be more adventurous in my cooking.  I think my biggest problem is that by the time I commute to and from work, take care of errands, get settled in, etc. I just want to have something quick to eat.  However, quick to eat usually means unhealthy and more expensive than healthy foods.

Thursday, I determined I wanted to make hush puppies.  (Not that healthy but at least I'm cooking, right?)They have always been a favorite of mine but I had never made them or even seen them be made by anyone I know.  I found a Paula Deen recipe that looked easy enough.  So I bought a few ingredients and went at it.  They really were simple to make.  I wasn't pleased with the end result though.  They were really rather bland.  I'm not sure how to make them better.  I may try adding different spices to help them out.  Nothing anytime soon though.

Saturday, Seth was in.  When he visits, I transform into Betty Crocker or something and always make breakfast try to make most meals.  So in my mad dash to Kroger, I was going to get hash browns and bread for toast.  As I walked through the frozen foods, I noticed french toast.  I haven't had it in forever and suddenly developed a hankering for it.  I called mom to make sure I knew what I was doing.  I thought you used an egg, cinnamon and sugar.  Good thing I called because you need milk in addition to all of that.  My first slice was kind of painful because the grease splashed up and got my eye.  No worries!  I survived and the french toast was awesome!!  I'll chalk that up to 1 point for Sarah!  (I also made some blueberry muffins later that evening and meatloaf on Sunday.)

Organization/Cleaning

While I've been cooking lately, I've had to throw out old food.  Usually I store flour, corn meal, etc. in the freezer so the bugs don't get into it.  Seth had never heard of this and thought I was crazy.  It's what I've always known though.  Someone please tell me they have done/seen this before too!!  I found a bag of corn meal and self-rising flour in my freezer that had an expiration date of 2006!!  Needless to say, I went through the rest of the freezer, refrigerator and cabinets getting rid of out-of-date items.  It is such a cleansing process for me though.  I get such a relief by getting rid of things that clutter my life.

I also purchased the plastic shelving units you typically use in the garage.  I meant to assemble it on Friday but didn't get a chance to do so.  My garage entire basement becomes a depository for things I want to forget about.  Because of accidents and other things, I don't use my basement except for the laundry room.  But I have tons of flower pots, gardening tools, tools, car cleaning items, etc. that are just piled on the floor in the garage that need to go somewhere.  I also have old laundry baskets that have been repurposed for recycling.  It all needs organized!  So maybe this week I can jump on that.  I did repurpose a plastic storage cart for some tools that dad leaves at my house.  I think this will come in very handy! :)

2011 Non-Resolutions

I've also tried to make a few non-resolutions for myself.  I hate to make resolutions because they never last.  But if I try to make a conscious effort every day to do things, I think that will be better than nothing at all.  I'm trying to be really good about putting things away after I use them.  Normally, I'm really good about this with the exception to coats, gloves, etc. and shoes.  As soon as I walk in the door, I walk straight over to the closet and deposit all things that belong.  Then I walk my shoes back to my room (unless they are still wet from all this snow/ice!) and put on slippers.  So far so good.  It is one easy way to keep the house organized and decluttered.

Another non-resolution for me is trying to keep up with the dishes.  My kitchen is straight from 1970.  Comes complete with avocado green appliances.  Yes, you read that correctly.  AVOCADO GREEN!  They have worked for the most part until here recently.  The light in the fridge doesn't work anymore.  Sounds like a good excuse to replace them all. :)  But the kitchen does not include a dishwasher.  I am the dish washer.  Yay me!  I loathe dishes.  They have always been a thorn in my side.  I usually let them pile up until I have none of something left to use.  I saw a Facebook friend that always has to put things away before she goes to bed.  I figured how hard would it be for me to do a few dishes every night before I call it a night.  I did this on Saturday and was very pleased with myself.  Yesterday I failed.  There were only a few from making meatloaf but I was in total bum mode.  I must complete this task tonight.  I think it will make my life SO much easier!

Finally, become more financially fit!  I've been working on this the last year and have made progress.  I really want to see this come to fruition this year though!  Maybe this is the topic of another blog because there is so much that goes into it.

Other Events

Friday, I took the afternoon off to wait for the heater guy to come check on my unit.  Most of you are thinking "Oh no.  I know where this story is going."  You're wrong.  This is a good story!!  I was hearing a humming sound coming from the unit.  It was like it was trying to turn on but not quite making it.  I called Scott-Sullivan in Huntington to come check it out.  They put the original unit in and have come to do repairs while I've lived there.  I've never had any problems with them.  Always very helpful and polite.  I highly recommend them!  They said they would be there between 1 and 5pm but would call before they come.  They called a little after 1pm. to make sure I would be there and were around 1:30pm.  I showed the guy all of the equipment, explained the problem and let him at it.  Of course, the heat was running while he was there and nothing was happening close to my experience.  I was starting to give up hope when he called me to the basement.  He finally identified the problem as my blower motor had gone bad.  So excited he figured it out.  Not so excited that he had to replace a motor.  I'm not sure how much that will cost.  I'll get the bill in a few days.

Additionally, I dropped my car off to get the oil changed and tires rotated.  They called to tell me I need two new rear tires and rear brakes and rotors.  Guess I'll take care of that next weekend...

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And on that note, I feel like I've rambled on forever.  Enough is enough!  Happy Monday everyone.  Hope you're having a very blessed day.

"You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt